Autumn’s here which means it’s time to start whipping up big batches of supper that can be divided and tucked away in the freezer. First up is my mom’s spaghetti sauce – I love this recipe for several reasons: it’s easy to throw together (although it does need to simmer for a bit), it makes a lot and best of all – the kids love it. How meaty you make it is up to you – I tend to make it with 2 to 3 lb. of ground beef – but it is entirely up to you.
This is the perfect sauce to throw in any cut up veggies you need to use up or want to sneak into your kids’ meals. One thing to note – the sauce tends to spatter as it simmers so I usually cook it in my cauldron (a large stock pot) making for a quick and easy clean-up. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
Anywhere from 1 1/2 to 4 lb. of ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
1 to 2 Lg. bay leaf
oregano and basil to taste
1 Lg. can pasta sauce
1 Lg. can tomato paste + 1 Lg. can of warm water
1 Lg. can ground tomatoes
2 cans of sliced mushrooms
Brown the ground beef with the onion and drain fat. Add garlic and spices and stir. Then add all other ingredients. Bring to a slow boil, stirring once in a while. Then simmer for about 3 hours (I’ve gotten away with only simmering for a few minutes – but the flavour is better the longer it simmers). Don’t forget to stir so it doesn’t burn on the pot bottom. Add some grated parmesan cheese to the sauce if you’d like before serving over top of pasta noodles.